The Butterfly Effect
by nuke-grrl
Summary: The future first Captain of the Shinsengumi meets the present Assistant Master of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. Alternate Universe.
1. After the Fall

Author's Note's: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. It is owned by Watsuki Nobuhiro, Shueisha, Fuji-TV and SPE Visual Works.

1. After the Fall

1862 Shieikan Dojo

Western Edo

"997, 998, 999, 1000 …"

The kendokas have been practicing their strikes for over three hours, and their current head instructor, Okita Souji Fujiwara no Kaneyoshi is showing no signs of stopping anytime soon. Perhaps it was the display of natural abilities in kendo at the young age of 9 or the discipline that was instilled during his training that drove him to demand perfection from each of his students. Perhaps it was a little bit of both. In any case, his students were currently praying for a miracle to occur.

And then Harada Sanosuke appeared at the doorway. "Okita-san," he leaned against the doorway. "It's almost time for lunch." Without acknowledging the interruption, he turned his attention to the class and called for fifty more strikes. After the students have completed their strikes, he dismissed them for the day. Harada stepped inside the dojo as the students began to file out of the training hall. "That was pretty hard on them, don't you think?"

"Fights can last for hours, sometimes days if going up against skilled samurais. Without stamina, they will easily fall within the first few minutes of their fight." Okita commented as he replaced a bokken on the wall. "I'm training them hard so that they can have a fighting chance at surviving any kind of attack."

"You make it sound like we'll be going to war soon," Harada pursed his lips, and for a moment, looked resolute in its seriousness. However, it disappeared almost as soon as it appeared giving the illusion that it was never there in the first place. "As Hijikata-san would say," Okita paused and lowered his voice. "'It never hurts to be prepared, Okita-san'." Okita mimicked the other man and they both broke into matching grins.

After they had caught their breath, Okita patted his friend on the shoulder. "Ara, Harada-san shall we see about lunch?" Harada grinned back and elbowed Okita playfully. "I could have sworn I heard Kondo sensei mention sukiyaki this morning …"

"Sukiyaki, eh?" The pair set off towards the main dining area in search of lunch. They had not gone very far when they heard hurried footsteps coming from the front gate. "Kondo sensei! Kondo sensei!" A young girl's voice screamed as soon as she entered the compound. "Kondo sensei!"

Okita and Harada turned around and hurried towards the girl as another man came out from one of the other buildings. "Nanami-chan," Kondo Isami, fourth master of the Tennen Rishin Ryu, knelt down in front of the girl. "Slow down and tell us what happened." The girl was hiccupping and started to hyperventilate. Kondo placed his hands on each of her shoulder to soothe her and calmed her down.

"Tell us what happened," he asked gently.

Nanami nodded her head and took a deep breath. "There's a body," she pointed in the general direction. "A body floating on the river." At the mention of an unknown body, Okita and Harada tensed slightly, dreading the rest of the story. "I was with Suzume-chan and Nee-chan when we saw it drifting in the water." The little girl shuddered as she remembered. "They told me to run as fast as I can to get you," she looked at Kondo waiting for his answer.

Kondo stood up and nodded to the two men. Okita and Harada hurried outside towards the river while Kondo took Nanami to her mother. It took them a few minutes to reach the riverbank and spotted Kumiko holding a frightened little girl. Suzume had burrowed her head on her sister's shoulder and was crying. Kumiko whispered something in the little girl's ear that made her turn towards the two men. Recognizing them, she wiggled out of her sister's grasp and ran towards Okita.

"Nii-san, I'm scared."

"Shh, don't be afraid." Okita reassured the little girl as he smoothed down her hair. "We'll find out what's going on. Can you be brave for a little while longer? Let's put our brave face on, ok?"

"Okay," Suzume said as she fought down her hiccups. Taking a deep breath, she imitated Okita's expression and kept quiet.

In the meantime, Harada had walked up to Kumiko and asked after the young girl. Okita had joined them not long after with a calmer Suzume following him. "Where did you last see it?"

"Not far from here, maybe a few yards." Kumiko pointed down the river. "There are more branches and reeds in that part of the river. I was taking them to watch the butterflies in the fields across the bridge."

"Both of you please stay here." Okita said as he smiled at the two girls. "We will check it out."

They jogged over to the area and started wading into the reeds, occasionally batting away the reeds that seemed to impede their progress. It wasn't long after when Okita saw a flash of color just beyond. "Here," he called out as he made his way closer to the body. Harada had followed along and together they had managed to pull it free and carry the body onto dry land.

At this time, Kondo had arrived and joined the two anxious girls. A slight distance away were Okita and Harada as they worked to turn over the body. Okita brushed the hair away from the face and Harada let out a muttered curse. It was a young woman, possibly seventeen or eighteen, judging from her facial features. Her right arm jutted out at an odd angle to indicate possible break. There was an open wound on the top of her hairline and her skin looked pale and almost translucent.

Okita had placed his ear over her chest to detect possible heartbeat but couldn't find any. He placed his fingers on her wrist to feel for a pulse and finding it weak. Quickly, he moved his head to listen for her breath but could not make it out. He placed two hands over her chest and pushed down twice before moving to her face to pinch her nose and breath into her mouth. He repeated these motions for a few minutes, each time pressing harder and getting more frustrated until finally, the body convulsed. Water poured from her mouth and her body shuddered a few times as it expelled the water she had taken in.

Immediately, Harada had taken off his gi and Okita wrapped the young woman in it before scooping her up in his arms. "We have to get her warm and changed out of these clothes." The other two men agreed and Kondo sent Kumiko and Suzume to fetch the doctor as Okita carried the unconscious woman back to the Shieikan dojo.

At the dojo, Okita carried the woman towards the living quarters and set her down inside the room that Kondo had prepared earlier. One of the servant girls had followed them in and Kondo instructed her to change the woman's kimono while they waited outside for the doctor to arrive, making sure that the woman was to be kept warm. Not long after, Kumiko had arrived with Yamada sensei from the local clinic and Nanami following close behind them.

"Who is she?" Nanami asked from behind the adults. She could not get inside the room with the rest of the adults but was curious nonetheless. Okita turned around to face the little girl. "We'll find out when she wakes up, Nanami-chan." He looked back to the unconscious woman and smiled back at the girl. "But," he stood up and took her hand. "We have to let Yamada sensei do his examination." He led the little girl out of the room and made to close the door behind him. Harada and Kondo followed him out as Yamada sensei's assistant prepared the unconscious woman for examination.

The pair made their way towards the main hall while Okita had disappeared to his room to change. From the sounds in the training hall, they could hear that the afternoon classes were beginning. Each man was lost in thought about the young woman that is currently being treated by Yamada sensei. Finally, Harada couldn't stand the silence between them and asked Kondo for his opinion.

"What do you think happened?"

Meanwhile Okita was in his room going over his own observation. He had noticed calluses on her hands, obviously from training with a weapon but he didn't know of any schools in the area that trained women. Maybe she came from a samurai family. That would certainly fit with the calluses in her hands. He returned to the main hall to join the others, still without any definite answers.

"We won't know anything for certain until she wakes up," Kondo replied as he looked towards the direction of the rooms. "In any case, she looked like she came from a middle class family. Her kimono was simple enough but the fabric was of good quality."

"I wonder who she is?" Harada mused aloud as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

After awhile, their musings were interrupted by Yamada sensei as he returned from his examination of the unknown woman. His assistant sat down with them as one of the servant girls came to serve them hot tea. Yamada sensei sipped the hot liquid and closed his eyes to relish the warmth.

"It's a good thing she was found before the onset of winter. Otherwise, she might have been frozen in the river and we would have never found her." Yamada sensei started as he replaced the teacup on the short table.

"How long do you think has she been in the water?" Okita asked.

"Not more than two days," the doctor responded. "She has a cut on her forehead just above the hairline and a broken right arm and rib, possibly from the fall or received shortly before she fell in the water." The men nodded as the doctor took another sip from his teacup.

"She currently has a fever also from being in the water for a long period of time. I've left instructions on how to administer the medicine and watch for any changes in the next few days."

"That should be fine, " Kondo nodded his agreement. "We will send for you if anything changes in her condition." The doctor smiled as he finished his tea and stood up. His assistant had already grabbed the medical bag and stood slightly behind him. "Good," Yamada sensei smiled. "The only thing we can do is wait for her to wake up."

"Do you know when that could be?" Kondo asked.

"It's hard to tell with these things." Yamada sensei fell in step with Kondo as they headed for the front gate. Okita and Harada trailed a little behind them as they all listened to him. "Head injuries can take a while to heal and I can't be sure if she is suffering from a concussion."

They had reached the gate and Yamada sensei stopped for one last reminder. "If everything goes well, she should wake up in the next few days." They watched as the doctor and his assistant walk away from the school entrance.

Silence descended between the three men as they watched the pair's progress.

Harada looked past Kondo deep in thought, before turning to Okita. "Well, since we won't be getting answers anytime soon, how about that lunch?"

Okita let out a short laugh at the sudden turn of Harada's thoughts. "When it comes to food, you have a one-track mind, Harada-san!" The other two joined in the laughter as they made their way to the dining hall.


	2. The Awakening

Author's Note's: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. It is owned by Watsuki Nobuhiro, Shueisha, Fuji-TV and SPE Visual Works.

2. The Awakening

"Has there been any change in her condition?" Harada asked as he leaned against the post and looked at his friend.

A week has passed since they had found the body of the unknown woman floating in the river. Yet they were no closer to finding answers to the mystery. Okita shook his head, sipped his tea quietly and stared out into the garden. A growl came from Harada as plopped himself down next to Okita.

"Argh! I can't take this anymore," he grabbed his hair in frustration.

The sounds of the katas the students were performing in the adjoining courtyard diverted Harada's rant briefly. From their vantage point, they could see Kondo sensei overseeing the afternoon class and senior students were putting their juniors through their paces. Okita smiled slightly as he sipped his tea and watched Kondo conduct his class – almost with the same enthusiasm as he remembered being taught. Laughing quietly to himself, he replaced his teacup back on its tray and watched them discreetly.

"Aren't you bothered by this not knowing?" Harada poked at Okita with his foot. "Oi! Okita, are you listening to me?"

Okita barely acknowledged his prodding and Harada started to get frustrated at his friend. He prodded more insistently and only got a slight reaction. "Hmm," Okita raised an eyebrow, which further irritated Harada.

"We still have no idea of her identity." Okita mentioned casually as he turned to Harada. "None of the surrounding families seem to know her."

Harada nodded in agreement. "So we can only conclude that she's not from around here." Both fell silent at this thought only to be broken by the sound of running feet. "She's awake! Okita-san, she's awake!" Okita turned at the sound of the little girl's voice. The little girl's excitement made her jumpy and Harada attempted to calm the girl down.

"Whoa, little missy." Harada laughed. "Settle down there." He caught Okita's eye and an invisible signal passed between them. Okita rose from his seat and patted the little girl's head. "So how about we go get Yamada sensei or his pretty assistant to come over and check over our guest?" Harada grinned at his own suggestion and rubbed his hands together in glee. He placed the little girl on his shoulders and the girl squealed in delight as they made their way out of the Shieikan dojo.

Okita watched their progress before making his way over to the stranger's room. He gently knocked at the door and heard a faint voice allowing him entry. He entered the room quietly and smiled at the young woman. She looked at him but didn't say a word. Instead, she just watched him as he stepped forward and sat at a respectful distance.

"How are you feeling today?" Okita asked her as he took in her appearance. She still looked pale and he noticed her favoring one side. The young woman automatically touched her rib and grimaced at the discomfort. "You have a broken right rib as well as your arm." Gingerly, she touched her bandages to confirm the stranger's words.

She nodded in understanding but frowned slightly as she struggled to remember how she got injured in the first place. It had been a little disconcerting to wake up and find a little girl watching her intently before rushing out of the room.

"The little girl?" she asked hesitantly. Okita grinned in return. "Nanami-chan? She went with Harada san to fetch the doctor. We thought it best that he examine you while you were conscious. Maybe answer a few questions of our own?"

She looked at him intently as if trying to discern his motives. Sensing her wariness, Okita tried to give her a reassuring smile. "Can you tell me your name?"

"Kaoru," the young woman whispered. "My name is Kaoru."

"Kaoru," Okita repeated her name and watched the young woman. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kaoru san. My name is Okita. Okita Souji."

_Okita Souji. Shinsengumi? Wait! Didn't he die a long time ago? Consumption and at a young age. If I'm talking to dead man, does that mean I'm dead as well? _Kaoru's mind was trying to explain the situation. "Where am I?" she asked, seeking further proof of her death or of her hallucinations.

"Shieikan dojo in western Edo," he answered as surprise registered in Kaoru's face before the hint of worry replaced it. _Hallucinations, it is._

"Edo," she frowned slightly as she mumbled to herself. "I'm in Edo." _It's a hallucination. I have hallucinations about a man that I have never met. _ She shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. "Western Edo, is that correct?"

"Yes, Edo." Okita furrowed his eyebrows, watching the stress slowly become apparent in her features.

Kaoru's vision started to blur and she could feel her eyelids getting heavier. She swayed a little and startled when a strong shoulder appeared at her side. "I apologize for this familiar behavior. However, you would have fallen and possibly aggravate your wounds."

Her mind was still a little confused and could not see any fault in his logic. Before she could express her gratitude, the door opened again to admit a few more people in the room. She recognized the little girl, Nanami, along with an elderly man who appeared to be the doctor. Another swordsman walked slightly behind them and she frowned as she tried to focus on his identity.

Yamada sensei smiled as he greeted his patient. "We were beginning to worry about you," he sat down next to her injured side, replacing Okita who stood next to Harada and Nanami. "How are you feeling today?"

"A little dizzy and confused," Kaoru admitted as the doctor held her broken arm to examine it. "That is understandable, my dear." He moved to examine her ribcage as he continued. "You have a hairline cut on your forehead and suffered a mild concussion. That should make anybody dizzy and confused." He took out his stethoscope and directed Kaoru to take a deep breath.

It had been difficult to take a breath and pain blossomed on her right side as she dissolved in a coughing fit. Her cough wracked her small body and sharp shooting pains became more insistent. She fought down the urge to cry out and clamped down on her lip to prevent any sound from escaping. Both Okita and Harada had noticed this gesture.

Nanami bit her lip and whispered, "Is she going to die?"

The doctor shook his head and patted Kaoru on the back. "No, she isn't going to die if she follows our instructions and gets plenty of rest." He eyed his patient closely, "Nanami-chan, can you get our patient some water?" The little girl nodded and left the room.

"Well, young lady – "

"Kaoru," she smiled. "My name is Kaoru."

"Well, Kaoru-chan," the doctor smiled again. "Can you tell us what happened to you?"

"I can't remember," Kaoru shook her head. "When I close my eyes, I can't tell which memories are true and which are just hallucinations. Everything is so confusing." Her voice grew fainter as her body started to feel heavier.

"What about family?" Harada asked. "Do you remember them? Can you tell us anything about them?" Kaoru shook her head as the questions came and peered up at him with furrowed eyebrows. "My family?"

"Yes," The tall man nodded. "They must be worried about you."

His interrogation, however, was broken by the Nanami's return. Thanking the little girl, Kaoru smiled as she took the cup of water and drank from it. The little girl smiled and ran back to sit next to Okita, Meanwhile, Kaoru set the cup back on the floor and folded her hands on her lap. "You," she spoke to Harada. "You remind me of someone," she mumbled to herself. _Careful Kaoru. Until you can figure out what is going on, be mindful of your answers._

"What are you saying?" Harada blurted out in surprise. "Are you saying you've met me before?"

"I don't know," Kaoru shook her head. "I can't remember," she opened her eyes and turned to the man that had addressed her.

Before anyone else could ask another question, Yamada sensei interrupted Harada. "I think she needs to get more rest." Yamada sensei patted her hand reassuringly and stood up. "Perhaps she'll be able to tell us more after a good night's sleep."

Harada mumbled something unintelligible as he walked away from her. Okita rose from his seat and eyed the young woman. He could see a great sadness reflected in Kaoru's eyes before being replaced by a marked tiredness. "Here, let me and Nanami-chan help you." The pair stepped forward and assisted Kaoru back on her futon. Nanami had made sure to tuck in the edges of Kaoru's blanket to preserve as much warmth as the blankets can provide.

Stepping away to inspect their efforts, Nanami proclaimed their success with a "thumbs up" signal to Okita that stood a few feet away. "Come, Nanami-chan," Okita called. "We should let her rest." Catching his eye, Kaoru mumbled a tired "thank you," before she closed her eyes and promptly fell asleep.


	3. Unfamiliar Ceilings

Author's Notes: Thank you for your support. I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. It is owned by Watsuki Nobuhiro, Shueisha, Fuji-TV and SPE Visual Works.

3. Unfamiliar Ceilings

Kaoru woke up with a start in the middle of the night. She blinked a few times to focus her vision and it took her a few minutes to realize that she was not in her own familiar room. Slowly, she raised herself on her good arm and looked at her surroundings. Taking a few minutes to get her eyes acclimated to the darkness until she could make out the rest of the room. There was a low cabinet at the far end of the room with a small stack of books. One side of her room had a painted screen depicting a willow and crane.

Carefully, she pulled aside her covers and grimaced as she tried to pull herself up to a standing position. After a few failed tries, she decided to crawl towards her goal. She hissed at the shooting pain as she got on all fours but she was determined to make it to the window. "Stupid rib. How the hell did I break it anyway?" Kaoru muttered to herself as she watched the window appear closer. "A little bit more, Kaoru" she willed herself to move even though the pain seemed to be excruciating. "Kuso Kaoru!" she berated herself angrily.

"Don't be such a little girl, Kaoru." Finally, she had made it to the window. "See, I knew you can do it."

Finally, leaning against the window frame, she took several deep breaths and steadied herself. She pushed the window open and took a deep breath. The clean night air filled her lungs and she closed her eyes to savor the moment. She opened her eyes and let her gaze wander up to the sky. In her mind's eye, just for a moment, she could almost see her friends back in Tokyo, or in this time, Edo.

_Edo. Before it was called Tokyo, the capital of Japan was called Edo. How did I get here? And more importantly, how do I get back? _

Feeling tired, she slid down against the window and rested her head against her knees. "What am I going to do?" she sighed in a quiet voice. Closing her eyes, she slowly drifted back to a fitful sleep.

Unknown to her, Okita and Harada had just gotten back into the dojo when she woke up. They had heard her when she got up and struggled towards the window. Okita had been tempted several times to go around and assist her but Harada had grabbed his arm and shook his head. He placed his finger on his lips to quiet Okita's protest. Together, they stayed quiet and stood on the other side of the wall.

They pictured her struggles and heard her muttered curses. At the sound of her curses, they both grinned at each other. It was Okita's turn to quiet his companion down when he let out a loud snort at her one-sided conversation with herself. They waited in silence until they had heard the faint steady breathing on the other side of the wall.

As soon as they were reassured that she had fallen asleep, Okita stepped away from Harada and nodded to him. Harada crooked his finger towards his friend and pointed to a nearby tree. They stepped away from the wall and walked together towards the tree.

"What do you think?"

"I think she's telling the truth."

"You really believe that she doesn't remember?"

"Yes," Okita replied without hesitation. "I also believe that if you wake up to an unfamiliar setting with so many strangers looking at you, you would be afraid too."

"I wouldn't."

"Of course, you wouldn't." Okita patted Harada's back and went towards the living quarters while Harada watched his progress and stifled a laugh. He shook his head as Okita disappeared around the corner and let out a sigh. "Ah, yare yare."

The second time Kaoru woke up, she found herself staring at the ceiling once again. Stretching her arm and her legs, she rubbed her eyes sleepily and focused on her surroundings again. The room looked cheerier and a pale sliver of sunlight was filtering through her window. Thinking about her window, she frowned as she remembered falling asleep next to the window.

But how did she end up in her futon?

Her musings were interrupted by a knock on her screen. "Come in," she called out as the door opened and a young woman had appeared bringing a breakfast tray. She smiled at the young woman as she set the tray inside the room before closing the door behind her.

"Ohayo gozaimasu!" she cheerfully greeted Kaoru as she approached her futon. "How are you feeling today?"

"I feel a little better." Kaoru said as the woman set down the breakfast tray next to her futon. "Thank you for taking care of me."

The girl took off the lid and was met with the delicious smell of miso soup. "It's no trouble at all," she smiled as she carefully blew on the soup. At least, cool enough for Kaoru to take a sip. "Oh I can do that. My left arm isn't broken and I'm sure you have other things to do."

She shook her head and held the spoon out for Kaoru. "I was tasked to make sure you ate, so you can get your strength back." Kaoru took a sip and smiled in return. "What is your name?"

"My name is Minako." Another spoonful of broth and before Kaoru could introduce herself. "You need to eat more, Kaoru-san." She held out the spoon to Kaoru's mouth.

"Call me Kaoru," she countered. "What part of Edo are we in?"

"We are in the Shieikan dojo in western Edo. The little ones found you in the river and, I believe, Kondo sensei and Okita sensei brought you back here." _There is that name again – Okita Souji. _She frowned as she let that name linger in her head a few minutes longer.

Distantly, she heard Minako's voice. "Kaoru-san, are you well? Would you like me to fetch the doctor?"

"I'm fine," Kaoru said as she shook her head. "I felt a little dizzy for a second."

Minako looked at her doubtfully. "Really, I'm fine." Kaoru smiled cheerfully, hoping to convince her that she was telling the truth.

"Well then," Minako smiled as Kaoru inwardly sighed in relief. "You need to eat more than three spoonfuls of broth to feel better. And you haven't even finished your bowl yet!"

Despite protestations of being full, Minako would not relent until Kaoru finished what was left of the broth. With Minako's help, Kaoru managed to lay back down on the futon. Kaoru was left trying to organize her thoughts when the young woman cleared away the breakfast dishes and left the room. _Tokyo was called Edo before the Meiji. Okita Souji died before the Bakumatsu ended. He was one of the strongest Shinsengumi members. Could it mean that the war is still going? _

Her eyes opened and she tried to recall other stories she had overheard from her own father. _Otousan! Of course, he would still be alive and so would okaasan. _Her excitement lagged when she noticed a flaw in her plan. _How do I explain my sudden appearance at this time? _Shifting her weight, a small stab of pain on her arm reminded her of her injuries. She growled in frustration at her current state and cursed at both her memory and injuries.

_Stupid memory lapse. Stupid injuries._

Dejectedly, she sighed and heard faint giggling coming from the doorway. She turned and saw two little girls whispering to each other before dissolving in fits of giggle. "Nanami-chan?" she called out to one of the girls. "Hai," Nanami-chan responded as their combined efforts opened the door all the way through. As she walked in, Nanami pulled along another little girl who smiled shyly at Kaoru.

"Ohayo, Kaoru-neesan. I want you to meet my friend, Suzume-chan."

"Hajimemashite, Suzume-chan!" Kaoru nodded towards her.

"Hajimemashite, Kaoru-neesan," Suzume stammered out. Shyly, looked at Kaoru and was rewarded with an encouraging smile.

"What are you two up to today?"

"We thought you might want to sit outside today." Nanami offered excitedly. "You can watch us play while Suzume-chan's oneesan goes to the market." Her friend nodded happily to confirm Nanami's story. "Oneesan said that it would cheer you up to be out of this room and have visitors."

Kaoru laughed at their enthusiasm and good not help but smile at the girls. "Well, I'm convinced! Lead the way!" she moved to get up but gasped as her sudden movement induced a sharp pain on her side. Suddenly, the two girls were beside her as their little hands pushed Kaoru gently back on the futon.

"Kaoru-neesan," Suzume cried. "Don't try to get up by yourself."

"Suzume-chan is right, you know?" A masculine voice joined in and all three looked towards the door. Okita was leaning against the door with his arms crossed his chest. He smiled at the picture the three other occupants presented – a young woman being held down by small hands seemed funny to him. He entered the room and knelt beside Kaoru and Nanami.

"She said she would come out to watch us!" Suzume informed him excitedly. "We are going out to the courtyard to play."

Okita smiled at the young girls. "Here," he said. "I will help her if you two lead the way." The two girls cheered as they got up and fled the room. Kaoru and Okita shared a laugh as the excited chatter continued as the pair disappeared down the hallway. "Well," Okita said as the noise died down. Kaoru gazed at the door for a few minutes longer before turning her attention back to man beside her. Okita smiled as she nodded in determination.

"Are you ready?"


	4. Quiet Conversations

4. In Quiet Conversations

Okita was thankful that the winter day seemed to be turning out relatively dry and the children could enjoy a brisk run around the courtyard without danger of catching a cold. "Kaoru-neesan!" Both girls waved at her enthusiastically as they ran around the vegetable beds, playing tag. They ran around the fruit trees that bordered the fence and jumped in between the shrubbery to avoid being tagged. "Be careful," she called out to them as Nanami almost tripped over a loose stone but managed to catch herself in time. After he had safely deposited Kaoru on the porch, he had gone back inside to gather blankets to keep her warm while she spent some time out of her room.

With an armful of blankets, he made his way back to Kaoru with little difficulty. However, he found that his path was blocked by some of the male residents of the dojo. From his vantage point, he could hear the excited questions of the younger students and Kaoru's polite responses to the, sometimes, improper questions. He could not really fault them for expressing enthusiasm at the newcomer – she was pretty, after all. But it would be detriment to her health if they wore her down with their questions. He spied Harada standing a few feet away, watching Kaoru as she interacted with the others. Okita remembered their early morning conversation and wondered if his friend's suspicions had any merit to it. His eyes moved from his friend back to Kaoru, trying to see what Harada might find objectionable about her.

After several unsuccessful attempts, he finally cleared his throat and the other students naturally parted to make a path for him. "I hope that our students have not been tiring you with their questions, Kaoru-san." He unfolded a blanket and placed it across her shoulders. She caught one of the corners and proceeded to wrap it around herself. "Better?" Okita asked as he finished tucking the blanket around her as she nodded in agreement. She leaned her head against the post and sighed as the warmth of the blankets began to soothe her.

"We are glad that you are finally recovering from your ordeal." Okita turned his head as he saw a tall man approach them with Harada. Kaoru noticed that he wore a gentle expression on his face and looked slightly older. "Kaoru-san," Okita smiled as he turned to introduce the pair that had joined them on the porch. "This is Yamanami Keisuke," nodding towards the tall man "and Harada Sanosuke," gesturing towards the man that Kaoru had spoken to the previous evening.

She could feel Harada's suspicious scrutiny and Kaoru managed to tamp down on the uncomfortable feelings rising in the pit of her stomach. Instead, she focused her attention on the other two men while the rest of the students had wandered off.

"It sounded like you gave these guys quite a scare." Yamanami smiled as he settled himself on the porch. Mindful of her injuries, he shifted his position so that Kaoru would be able to converse with him comfortably without straining herself. "I wasn't here when it happened, so I had to hear all the exciting details secondhand."

Kaoru shook her head. "I'm sure that it was less exciting for me since I can't remember any of the details myself." She studied her hands for a few seconds before continuing. "The doctor said that it is typical not to remember considering my injuries but …" She had let the sentence trail off as she wasn't fully certain of her situation and until then, she would keep silent. "… I wish I remembered more." Her eyes had rested momentarily on Okita and Yamanami with their wakizashi tucked in their obis and wondered what kind of sword style the Shieikan dojo teaches.

"Tennen Rishin Ryu," Okita replied to her question. "The fourth generation master is Kondo Isami. I'm sure that you will meet him later at dinnertime. He was with us when we found you in the river, Kaoru-san. Harada-san and I pulled you out of the water."

"So you found me in the river?" Kaoru asked quietly. She had not been sure how to broach the subject of her rescue and was relieved when Okita provided the opening for it. "Actually," Harada responded as he crossed his arms across his chest. "Nanami-chan and Suzume-chan found you. They were playing by the river with Kumiko-chan and saw your body float by." For her part, Kaoru closed her eyes as she visualized herself back in the cold river and shuddered violently at the gruesome picture it made. Yamanami noticed her shiver slightly and shot Harada a stern, disapproving look, which the younger man promptly shrugged off.

Kaoru had balled her fists tightly as she fought to dispel the disturbing images from her mind and regain her composure. The sensations of the icy river water on her skin felt momentarily real that she could almost taste it on her lips. Okita had sensed the sudden flare of emotion from Kaoru and waited in silence. She opened her eyes, shaking off the images in her mind before turning her face to meet Harada's stare. Harada, initially surprised at Kaoru's directed gaze, returned her glare. They stared at each other for a few seconds before Kaoru turned towards the little girls.

"That must have been difficult for them," she murmured quietly. "How are they?" she looked towards the girls, playing a few feet away from them. Okita was the first to respond, noting the tense atmosphere. "The first few nights were difficult for Suzume-chan. She had nightmares and would whimper in her sleep. But lately, she has gone back to sleeping peacefully in the evenings."

"And Nanami-chan?" Kaoru asked softly, still watching the little girls while they played. Okita smiled as he followed her gaze. "She had always been the stronger of the two. Aside from the initial worry, she has been surprisingly calm and more curious than frightened with the incident." Taking a moment to let this new information sink in, she had missed the approach of two little girls.

"Okita-nii, come play with us." They each took a hold of his hand and tried to pull him away. Okita made exaggerated motions of resisting while the girls giggled in delight at his playacting. Kaoru and the others could not help but laugh at his antics as the girls persisted in their efforts. Harada decided to join in and started tickling the girls to loosen their hold on Okita. The girls squealed in delight and one of them broke off to try and prevent Harada from distracting them. They had managed to pull away, a few inches at a time before their collective laughter was broken by a feminine voice.

"Suzume-chan! Nanami-chan!" They all turned towards the sound by the compound entrance. "Nee-san!" Suzume squealed in delight as she dropped Okita's hand and ran to her sister. The young woman grinned at the children as they wrapped their arms around her waist. Kaoru took a moment to study her. She had long black hair that fell between

her shoulder blades, pale complexion and almond set eyes. "I wasn't gone that long, was I?" she chided the girls as they walked alongside her until she came to a stop in front of Kaoru.

She introduced herself as Kumiko and Kaoru smiled at her easy manners. "I'm glad to see you feeling better," she grinned. "They have been worried about you since the accident happen. I hope that they didn't bother you too much this morning."

"No," Kaoru shook her head. "Not at all. They have been very good at keeping me company." The little girls cheered at her praise and started to jump up and down in delight. The adults gathered laughed at their antics as they began to circle and chant, raising their arms as they marched around Kumiko. Harada grabbed Nanami and placed her on his shoulders. Laughing, she grabbed Harada's hair with one hand and raised her other arm. "I'm so tall!" She grabbed fistfuls of hair and he winced as he felt her pulling on it. "I'm so tall!" the girl exclaimed excitedly as she twisted the handful of hair in her hand. Kaoru hid her smile as the girl continued her assault while Okita just laughed out loud.

The other girl started tugging Harada's hakama and cried, "Wah! Suzume-chan wants to be tall too!" Seeing her near tantrum, Yamanami scooped her up and she squealed in surprise. Surprise turned into delight as she started kicking her legs in excitement. Grimacing slightly, Yamanami held on to both her legs to stop the unintended assault.

Kumiko shook her head. "Why don't you both help Harada-san and Yamanami-san bring the groceries to the kitchen?" A pair of little voices agreed with her before Kumiko continued. "You have to get down though," she tugged at Suzume's legs. "Otherwise, they won't be able to carry everything, right?" Pouting, the little girls were reluctant to climb down. With a little cajoling, they had managed to climb down and be content with carrying some of the groceries into the kitchen. Kumiko and the two girls were followed by Yamanami and Harada as they carried the packages to the kitchen, leaving Okita with Kaoru watching them. They made a noisy parade in the courtyard and on towards the kitchen.

After a few minutes, the noise had died down and the two occupants left on the courtyard seemed to be lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Kaoru broke the silence. "Ne, Okita-san, why does Harada-san seem to hate me?" Kaoru asked quietly. "Have I done anything to offend him?"

Okita looked at the woman thoughtfully, debating whether or not to tell her of Harada's suspicions or pretend ignorance. A few seconds of watching Kaoru had settled something in his mind. He replied, "I think hate is a strong word, Kaoru-san."

"Severe dislike, then." Kaoru countered quickly. Okita laughed at her rejoinder.

Okita turned away from her and focused on his surroundings, feeling out the energies that were immediately around them. Concentrating, he could pick out the familiar energies of the residents of the dojo until he felt Kaoru's. He could feel its anxiety, which he quickly sought to reassure it. "Think of the situation from his point of view, Kaoru-san. We know very little about you." Kaoru nodded her head slightly in agreement. "Your injuries have prevented you from remembering anything that could help us in either locating your family or the circumstances of your accident." Kaoru pursed her lips, deep in thought. Logical to be suspicious, she agreed, if seen with a jaded view of people's characters.

"We are living in uncertain times," Okita noticed her turn in surprise towards him. "People do not feel safe anymore. An unknown fear has been hanging in the air lately. Harada-san is dealing with the situation the best he knows how."

She contemplated this thought for a few minutes. The fear, she could understand. She remembered the fear that had gripped her when her father went to fight in the Boshin War. After that, it was the pain of her loss when news of her father's death reached her. She remembered it all too well. Even if she agreed that Harada-san had the right to be suspicious, treating her poorly would only exacerbate the situation. Being unkind achieved nothing except cultivate ill feelings. Her thoughts then turned to the man sitting next to her and before she could stop herself, she had asked the first thing that came to her mind.

"Why are you kind to me?"

Okita shrugged before breaking into a grin. "I don't get the sense that you are a bad person, Kaoru-san." She gave him a doubtful look and he clarified his own words. "Your swordsman's ki does not feel evil – on the contrary, it feels very calm and soothing."

"My ki?" Kaoru furrowed her eyebrows together. "What do you mean?"

"Your palms have calluses," he nodded towards her hands, hidden underneath the blanket. "Caused by holding a bokken or a shinai for long periods of time." He paused, smiling slightly at Kaoru's surprised face. She unconsciously rubbed at her palms, the feel of her calluses oddly calming her beating heart. "I'm fairly sure that you practiced a sword style for many years," he continued as he looked up to her face. "You are either a daughter of a samurai or someone that has received sword training at an early age." Glancing away, Kaoru fell silent at his astute observations. The silence grew between them as she tried to understand Okita's replies and what she should do. Out from the corner of her eye, she could see his smile as he returned to watching the trees ahead. A youthful face, genial and yet possessed an underlying strength.

Yet, can she trust him?

Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, she turned her body to face him. "My memories are," her voice trembled slightly as she searched her mind for the right word, " – fragmented and unreliable at the moment." Okita did not interrupt her, instead waited for her to finish her thought. "I remember training at a dojo but not a name." Kaoru looked past Okita's shoulder, clearly seeing in her mind's eye – her father's dojo, her father's legacy to her – all being set aside until she could have the strength to protect it. _Otousan, okaasan, please forgive me. _She could feel tears forming in her eyes but she continued, her voice becoming stronger.

"I realize that this might not be enough for Harada-san or anyone else who might be in doubt of who I am. But," her gaze returned to stare at Okita. "Until my memories return, this is all I can give you."

Author's Notes: Thank you for your support. I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. It is owned by Watsuki Nobuhiro, Shueisha, Fuji-TV and SPE Visual Works. I know this chapter was slow but soon we will have more action. Coming up next: A Call to Arms. When the residents of the Shieikan dojo are spurred into action and meet the rest of the short-lived Roshitai. Stay tuned!


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